The Keto Diet
The keto diet is mostly based on high fat, sufficient protein, low amount of carbohydrates. Actually, the diet encourages a big increase of calories from fat and radically reducing carbohydrates. For energy needs, the diet coerces the body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. Some of the foods that are allowed for consumption include:
- Eggs
- Butter
- Cheese
- Avocado
- Heavy cream
- Cream cheese
- Unsweetened coconut
- Meats like beef, pork, lamb, and chicken
- Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and macadamias
- Fish mainly fatty fish like sardines and salmon
- Oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil
- Seeds like sunflower seeds, chia seeds and flaxseed
- Berries such as blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries
- Leafy greens such as kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, and collards
- Non-starchy vegetables like cucumber, broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers and zucchini
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There are also certain foods and drink that should be avoided when you are on the keto diet. The foods that are prohibited include dried fruits, whole grains, tubers, certain fruits, sugars and alcohol.
- Fruit – apples, oranges, and bananas
- Grains – wheat, rice, corn, and cereals
- Sugar – honey, maple syrup, agave, cane or beet
- Tubers – potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, and jicama
The Challenges
Basically, the keto diet is pretty easy to follow. However, keeping track of your macros can be a bit of a challenge. Macros or macronutrients refer to the main nutrients in your diet. The macros in a keto diet are dietary fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
In addition, your diet needs to be a certain percentage of each macro so that your body is in the state of ketosis which burns body fat at the fastest rate possible. The recommended macros dietary percentages on a basic keto diet are
- 75% to 80% dietary fat
- 15% to 20% protein
- 3% to 5% for carbohydrates
Conversely, percentages can sometimes be misconstrued, especially when the body only identifies exact measurements. In addition, if the portions are off, your health and nutrient balance can suffer.
However, today there are ways to easily keep track of macros, even in percentages. The OKL Chart is specifically designed for tracking a keto diet. The chart streamlines the percentages and also adjusts any errors with proteins and dietary fats. In fact, it actually shows you the exact amounts that you need every day in order to reach your ideal body weight and also maintain optimum health.
In addition, the OKL Chart is a lot more user friendly and easier to understand than mobile apps or online calendars for keto diets. In truth, they are stress-free so you can spend more energy focusing on your weight loss goals.
About the OKL Chart
The OKL Chart was originally made for a Facebook Page called the OKL Facebook Group. It was created in 2015 by Raymund Edwards. However, the OKL Chart became very popular with people on a ketogenic diet. The dieters found that the chart was an easy way to keep track of macronutrients (macros).The OKL Chart actually displays the exact amount of macros that are needed in order to lose weight. In fact, the amounts are in their correct quantities for Optimal Ketogenic Living (OKL).
However, the OKL Chart is designed for more than just weight loss. Some people use it to keep track of their diet for certain health concerns and their well-being such as
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- Increased energy
- Inflammation issues
- Reduce mood changes
- Decrease hunger pangs
- Mental sharpness and clarity
- Clearer and younger looking skin
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Reading the OKL Chart
Reading the OKL Chart is quite simple. Basically the chart is based on height and gender. For example, it lists your gender such as male or female and your height in feet and inches. The height is located on the left side of the appropriate gender segment.Once you find your exact height, you read horizontally across the line until you find the right amount of dietary fat, protein, and carbohydrates required per day for optimum health and weight loss. However, you can also use the chart for slow and healthy weight gain or other dietary needs.
The OKL Chart lists your protein needs for energy. The required protein is much higher than most diets for various reasons
- To rebuild your bodies exhausted protein structure
- To protect your lean muscle mass from possible loss
- Amino acids (derived from protein) are the foundation for cell repair
For dietary fat, it is listed as a range and not an exact amount. This is because the fat is used to reach your calorie needs after your have your proteins and carbs. If your goal is weight loss, then keep within the lower recommended grams for dietary fats.
Dietary programs tend to use the same level of carbohydrates for all keto dieters, but the OKL Chart tailors your carb level to your body’s physical structure. For weight gain, use the greater end of the scale. If you need recipes which follow the Optimal Keto Chart, check out this facebook group dedicated to OKL recipes.
Dietary fats are given as a range because everyone is different. Just remember, a lot of your dietary fat will come from stored body fat. Although, Nutritional Ketosis is thought of as a high fat diet, any excess body fat is calculated into your daily fat percentage.
OKL Chart Comparisons
There really is nothing compared to the OKL Chart that is as accurate and easy to use. Although there are various keto calculators, none of them compare to the OKL Chart for accuracy and simplicity.The most common alternative to an OKL Chart is the keto calculator.
Keto Calculators
The keto calculator is a guide to help you set up macros so that you know the amount of each macronutrient to eat. There are many types; some are more accurate than others. The apps ask personal information like gender, height, current weight, age, and percent of body fat. Other questions include protein and carb intake desired, preferred deficit (percentage), and activity level such as sedentary, light, moderate, and active. Unfortunately, many of the keto calculators can be very confusing and hard to understand. In addition, there is a lot of guesswork.Most people do not know their percent of body fat or their optimal level of protein for their build. Regrettably, many people set the amount too high which generates the body’s need to adapt. Often, your body will end up gaining weight instead of losing.
As well, many people overestimate their activity level. In result, the dietary calculations are higher than they should be. Again, the dieter will probably gain weight or stay at their current weight and never make progress.
Bottom line, keto calculators utilize several different mathematical formulas to determine the average consumption of protein, carbohydrates, and fat grams that helps the average person to lose surplus body fat. However, the calculations are only as accurate as the information they receive.
What is more, keto calculators cannot define physical change, so the physical variation to dieting is not part of the mathematical formula.
Keto calculators are a helpful device for beginners. But they still need to be adjusted to fit the needs of your diet and physical makeup so that you continue to lose weight.
On the other hand, an OKL Chart put emphasis on optimal health and not just weight loss. In addition, the OKL Chart is a lot easier and faster to use. There is no guessing and wrong calculations, just find your weight and height and then read the suggested average optimal macros.
Most Doctors Recommend using the OKL Chart
The OKL Chart is recommended by most doctors because it is easy to use and can be applied to numerous health conditions and weight goals.
One of the biggest reasons why the OKL Chart is so successful is because it focuses on health and lifestyle instead of weight loss. Likewise, factual data is used to calculate portions instead of assuming your activity level or the amount of body fat that you have.
Most importantly, the OKL Chart was developed and launched by a physician. It has been through rigorous testing for various diets and weight control.
In addition, the OKL Chart ranges can be adjusted as your body adapts to dietary changes. It will actually provide you with the most accurate information with minimums, maximums and ranges.
Utilizing the OKL Chart instead of the Ketosis calculator offers complete freedom to learn and experiment on how your body responds to any proteins, fats, or carbohydrates that you consume.
However, no matter which method you prefer or choose, there will always be the need to experiment and discover what works best for your body. Just don't be afraid to tryout different methods until you find what works for you.
Last update on 2021-09-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API